Ideas for novel I'm writing I would love some insight on a concept

[KelticKemist1987]

Summary:: Ideas for a novel I want to begin writing. Brainstorming ideas and need help with a certain concept. Any help is appreciated!

Hello to you all, this is my first post, and I Google searched this astrophysics forum because I thought it might be a good place to begin asking for advice and questions, since I don't know any astrophysicists personally. I'm outlining a novel that intertwines modern day espionage, extra terrestrials, secret military bases, interstellar fiction, etc. The premise is still rather complex and I'm still exploring ideas. The basic plot is an abduction that separates twins at birth, one girl and one boy. The boy is abducted, the parents vanish, and the girl is adopted.

Millions of years ago our solar system was occupied by superior beings, and we happen to be related to them. A planet in the far reaches of our solar system still accommodates life, in particular a very ancient civilization that used to inhabit both Venus and Mars, before they were both destroyed and became uninhabitable. The planet enters the solar system every few thousand years in an eliptical orbit (Some of you may know where I'm going with this, the mythical story of the "winged planet" spoken about by the Sumerians, Nibiru). I won't bore anyone with all the minute details of the story, but I was wondering if anyone had a great idea for some technology an advanced civilization might have that could keep their planet warm so far from its host star? Also, how could I accurately incorporate time dilation into my story?

Any contributions or ideas whether related to the topic or not are welcome. I keep imagining new arcs and interesting concepts but I sometimes hit dead ends with my story. I want it to go in a certain direction but I need the science to be near perfect. Fictional, but plausible. I would really appreciate the help, thank you.

 

[mfb]

but I was wondering if anyone had a great idea for some technology an advanced civilization might have that could keep their planet warm so far from its host star?

Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic - Arthur C. Clarke.
But if we look at foreseeable methods: Nuclear reactors. Fission or better fusion.

Also, how could I accurately incorporate time dilation into my story?

Completely negligible within the Solar System unless you make something move at speeds comparable to the speed of light. Which is in the applied magic regime.

 

[r731]

Check out the twin paradox, and news sites for astronomy, such as this one, https://www.universetoday.com

Imagine creatures in the form of neuro-clouds that live in space. Or think of the abducted sibling to be living in a planet where there is a much more advanced civilization than humanity's and peace. Think of "holes" or shortcuts in space that facilitate communication by allowing light to travel a shorter distance between planets.

 

[lomidrevo]

The planet enters the solar system every few thousand years in an eliptical orbit

To be consistent, maybe you should formulate it in slightly different way. Either the planet is gravitationaly bound to solar system, ie. it is part of the system, so it is orbiting its barycenter, or it is not and it is just passing through. In the first case, it does not make sense to talk about entering the system. But if you consider very eccentric elliptical orbit, you can say something in the sense "the planet enters inner solar system periodically". Similarly as comets do.

Also, how could I accurately incorporate time dilation into my story?

Completely negligible within the Solar System unless you make something move at speeds comparable to the speed of light. Which is in the in the applied magic regime.

Gravitational time dilation could be also considered, buy again, quite negligible effect in the scope of solar system, as illustrated by this older thread:
https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/time-dilation-on-the-surface-of-the-sun.833227/

But if OK with your story, individual characters (not the whole planet ) could left the solar system, travel to some "nearby" black hole, orbit it for some period close to its event horizon, and fly back to the solar system. These individuals would be much yunger when compared to those staying in the solar system. Like in the Interstellar movie. Moreover the effect could be magnified if those individuals could travel at speeds comparable to speed of light.

 

[stefan r]

Science Fiction and Futurism with Isaac Arthur - YouTube

The SFIA videos have been posting for multiple years. Definitely check out the early episodes. There is a reddit page and facebook group associated with the channel.

For SF Authors - Atomic Rockets (projectrho.com)

Project Rho has a lot of reading. Scroll to the bottom to see the navigation links.

 

[Lren Zvsm]

Summary:: Ideas for a novel I want to begin writing. Brainstorming ideas and need help with a certain concept. Any help is appreciated!

Hello to you all, this is my first post, and I Google searched this astrophysics forum because I thought it might be a good place to begin asking for advice and questions, since I don't know any astrophysicists personally. I'm outlining a novel that intertwines modern day espionage, extra terrestrials, secret military bases, interstellar fiction, etc. The premise is still rather complex and I'm still exploring ideas. The basic plot is an abduction that separates twins at birth, one girl and one boy. The boy is abducted, the parents vanish, and the girl is adopted.

Millions of years ago our solar system was occupied by superior beings, and we happen to be related to them. A planet in the far reaches of our solar system still accommodates life, in particular a very ancient civilization that used to inhabit both Venus and Mars, before they were both destroyed and became uninhabitable. The planet enters the solar system every few thousand years in an elliptical orbit (Some of you may know where I'm going with this, the mythical story of the "winged planet" spoken about by the Sumerians, Nibiru). I won't bore anyone with all the minute details of the story, but I was wondering if anyone had a great idea for some technology an advanced civilization might have that could keep their planet warm so far from its host star? Also, how could I accurately incorporate time dilation into my story?

Any contributions or ideas whether related to the topic or not are welcome. I keep imagining new arcs and interesting concepts but I sometimes hit dead ends with my story. I want it to go in a certain direction but I need the science to be near perfect. Fictional, but plausible. I would really appreciate the help, thank you.

You could go big. Your interstellar people could have a rogue planet as their home world. Its mantle and core could have been artificially seeded with radioactive minerals in such huge quantities that the world wouldn't need a sun to be warm enough to support life. The rogue planet could be steered through an immensely powerful technology far beyond the comprehension of its current inhabitants. No one knows what intelligence steers it from system to system. But with each new system, the inhabitants find problems among the intelligent species there--problems that the rogue world natives usually try to solve--or exacerbate--for some good end. Sort of like Space 1999, but a smidgeon more plausible, and with a world much more interesting than the Moon. Hope this helps.